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Norfolk County Council budget cuts to be decided today
Annabelle Dickson
Monday, February 14, 2011
9:15 AM
Controversial plans to cut nearly £60m from county council services and axe the equivalent of 750 full-time jobs will be decided at a Norfolk County Council meeting today.
Opponents to the plans came forward with alternative 11th hour proposals, but the controlling Conservative are likely to ensure the plans are given the green light at the full-council meeting at County Hall at 10am.
The lobby group Norfolk Coalition Against the Cuts are holding demonstrations outside Norfolk County Hall today as part of a protest at cuts in jobs and services.
The plans follow a “Big Conversation” with residents across the county, which saw the cabinet row back from controversial proposals to tighten up the eligibility criteria for older people to access care, as well as rethinking plans to scrap a subsidy for post-16 transport for college students, following overwhelming opposition.
The authority also wants to use around £10m of government cash earmarked for social care to stave off some of those cuts and create a £5m prevention fund.
But opponents are unhappy about the cuts which are still planned, particularly the scrapping of the youth service, the redesign of day services, and the closure of the Unthank Family Centre in Norwich.
Norfolk County Council’s ruling cabinet recommended the budget plans which include a series of cuts across all departments and job losses.
• Log on to www.edp24.co.uk to follow updates throughout the day.
Growing Public Fears Over ‘Unfair’ Cuts
Growing Public Fears Over ‘Unfair’ Cuts
0:36am UK, Sunday February 13, 2011
Steph Oliver, Sky News Online
Nearly two out of three voters believe the Government’s spending cuts are unfair, according to a new opinion poll.
Many voters do not support the coalition’s spending cuts
The ComRes poll found 63% thought the impact would be felt more by poorer households than the better off, while 57% thought the Government was cutting too far and too fast.
Almost 69% thought that they would be worse off personally as a result of the coalition’s measures, compared to 66% in the last survey.
The findings come as shadow chancellor Ed Balls has accused David Cameron of taking Britain back to the era of “nasty confrontation” which marked Margaret Thatcher’s years as prime minister.
Mr Balls said in a TV interview that the Government was playing a “dangerous game” with its programme of spending cuts, mounting what he described as a “real assault” on public services.
He said that the coalition’s leadership – Mr Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg – were out of touch with the realities of life facing ordinary voters.
“People remember the 1980s – deep cuts, trouble in the streets and Margaret Thatcher goading confrontation, blaming local councils.”
“David Cameron is taking us back to those days. I think he is making a really, really unwise choice here,” he added.
Mr Balls comments follow remarks made yesterday by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke who warned the middles classes did not yet fully understand what was about to hit them.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Clarke described the current economic situation as “calamitous” and warned that there would be no “quick rebound”.
Overall, the poll puts Labour on 42%, up two points since January and six points ahead of the Conservatives who are unchanged on 36%.
The Liberal Democrats are up one on 11%.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201009115929562
Grandparent carer advice
Some useful tips when the grandparents get called upon to take action.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX9zxzuiDoo]
chenrezig 
annie 
JaneJ 